It’s official: NuSun oil in a human diet can lower cholesterol. And not only is NuSun on par with olive oil for heart-healthy benefits, it can perform even better.

Those are key findings of a groundbreaking Penn State University clinical health study published in the July, 2005 Journal of American Dietetic Association. The Penn State study was completed several years ago, but results could only be labeled as preliminary until the research findings were published. The ADA Journal is the premier peer-reviewed journal in the field of nutrition and dietetics. With nearly 65,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is well respected as the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

Results of the study show that just two tablespoons of NuSun oil in place of saturated or trans fat will reduce total cholesterol by 5%, and harmful LDL cholesterol by nearly 6%. Subjects on the NuSun diet in the Penn State study lowered blood cholesterol compared with the average American diet, while olive oil did not.

It is significant that NuSun outperformed olive oil. Head researcher Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton believes it is due to NuSun’s unique fatty acid balance of polyunsaturated (linoleic) and monounsaturated (oleic) fatty acids. “This study demonstrates that the substitution of just a small amount of a healthy oil like NuSun for saturated or trans fat can significantly impact heart health.”

In this tightly controlled clinical study involving 31 men and women with elevated cholesterol levels, study participants followed three diets – NuSun sunflower oil, olive oil, and the average American diet. The diets including NuSun sunflower oil and olive oil had similar dietary fat (30%) and cholesterol profiles, while the average American diet was slightly higher in both total (34%) and saturated fat, but still low in total cholesterol. NuSun sunflower oil was used for frying and as an ingredient in foods like muffins, sauces, spreads, granola bars and salad dressings.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requiring that all processed foods list trans fat on food labels as of January 2006. The oil is an excellent replacement for partially hydrogenated oils that are sources of trans fats commonly used for commercial food manufacturing and by restaurants. The fact that NuSun oil does not need to be partially hydrogenated, combined with its now proven health benefits, makes the oil highly attractive to restaurants, food chains, and food processors.

The National Sunflower Association is actively promoting results of the Penn State dietary research study, and associated benefits of using the oil for food cooking and processing. The oil performs well in extremely high cooking and frying temperatures, and does not require hydrogenation like many other commercial-use oils. In addition, the natural stability of NuSun sunflower oil provides excellent shelf-life characteristics and has a clean, light taste.

Many major food manufacturers have already started using NuSun sunflower oil in their commercial products, including Frito-Lay SunChips, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, and the J.M. Smucker Company’s Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat Per Serving All-Vegetable Shortening. The result is a product that can be labeled “0 Grams Trans Fat” without an increase in saturated fat.